What Makes me Love my Work

Today's blog is written by Donna Reese, one of our amazing Critical Care Coordinators.  She answers the question, why do you work for Hope For The Warriors®?

On my Desk Sits:

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be encouragement to those who hear them.    Ephesians 4:29

I was always told, “if you’re going to work make sure it is something you are passionate about. “ I have always tried to not look at what I am doing as “work” or as a “job” but that I am following my love for helping others.  I started my career in the medical billing field and that led me to become a Medicare/Medicaid liaison for many people.  I have worked in the past for a nonprofit that assisted in life threatening, debilitating chronic illnesses, where I expanded my knowledge of Social Services available to the public, resources and mandates.

I joined the Hope For The Warriors® team in 2010 as a Caseworker and since then my journey with helping those in need has exploded. I have assisted thousands of service members and their families with varies issues from financial assistance, local resources, social service connections, maneuvering the VA system, connecting the service member with a OIF/OEF caseworker, financial counseling, and most importantly an ear.  As the trainer also for all our new employees and interns my first training advice is “if I don’t know the answer, it is my job to find it.”  With this philosophy I know we are doing everything and anything for our warriors and their families.

My personal journey with the military started as a child as my father was in the Army Reserves for much of my childhood, my Uncle retired from the Army after 23 years, and my oldest son joined the Army two days after 9/11 telling me “he had to do something.”  As proud as I was as a mom, I was scared. My son did two tours in Afghanistan and with God’s grace and protection he returned home safe and sound, but not the same. I knew so many were not returning home and those that did come home, life would never be the same.  Every call I take I am reminded how blessed I am and that I can make a difference in someone’s life and there is nothing more rewarding.

Help Hope For The Warriors® restore self, family and hope.  Donate today.

Oorah v. Hooah!

Oorah is a battle cry common in the United States Marine Corps since the mid-20th century. It is comparable to hooah in the US Army and hooyah in the US Navy and US Coast Guard. It is most commonly used to respond to a verbal greeting or as an expression of enthusiasm. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Hope For The Warriors® was founded in eastern North Carolina aboard Camp Lejeune, close to Fort Bragg, and close to Wrightsville Beach.  The Marine Corps and the Army have always had a friendly competition and so what better way to bring the two groups together than in a fishing battle.

7th Annual Oorah v. Hooah Fishing Battle

Once again, Hope For The Warriors® has invited Marines from the Wounded Warrior Battalion aboard Camp Lejeune and Soldiers from the Warrior Transition Unit on Fort Bragg for a battle that is fun and fierce!

The group will spend all day Friday out on the water, enjoying the fresh air and catching fish.  The fun will be in both the sport and in the time with their fellow service members.

At the end of the battle, one group will win bragging rights for the year.  In addition, awards will go to the person who caught the most fish as well as the largest single fish caught.

The Marine Corps and Army has batted the winning title back and forth each year. But whether they win or lose, everyone has a great time.  The Oorah v. Hooah Fishing Battle is part of our Outdoor Adventures Program. 

Hope For The Warriors® Outdoor Adventures Program provides adaptive opportunities for wounded heroes to participate in sporting activities in the great outdoors. Service members, who previously embraced an outdoorsman lifestyle, as well as those new to wilderness sports, are introduced to recreational opportunities on the road to recovery.


Local Support

This Fishing Battle could not take place without the support of many in the local community. Once again, thank you to PPD, presenting sponsor.  In addition, thank you to:  NDTA Cape Fear Chapter 175, North State Bank, Carol Thomas, Wet Dog, Jungle Rapids, Party Time, Doc Side Restaurant, Bridge Tender Marina, and Costco.

If you are interested in supporting the fishing battle and other program work within Outdoor Adventures, donate today and ask that your donation is directed to this program.

Donate Here

Social Work Interns: Supporting Military Families

In 2012, Hope For The Warriors® welcomed Master of Social Work interns from Fordham University, Columbia University, and the University of Southern California. Currently, Hope For The Warriors® also has students from the Touro University, Eastern Carolina University, and Southern Illinois State University. 

By working with Master of Social Work interns, Hope For The Warriors® has been able to expand its services in case and crisis management, clinical intervention and support, organization development, and grant research and writing.  Through this expansion, we are able to positively impact military service members, veterans and their families.  The organization continues to develop and expand upon an environment that promotes educational development for the MSW interns. The ultimate goal of our work with each intern is to ensure that they graduate and enter the field of social work with thorough understanding of the needs and challenges of today’s military family and a respect for their service and sacrifice.

Today’s blog is written by Chrystal, one of our incredible social work interns.

 

Social work intern prepares to meet service members

As an MSW intern enrolled with the University of Southern California (USC), I can personally speak about my experience as an intern, gaining experience and insight with Hope For The Warriors®.  I enrolled into the full-time graduate program offered by the university’s Virtual Academic Center (MSW@USC). The program includes a foundation year and a concentration year, both with nine month field placements along with a full-time course schedule.  My concentration is Community Organization and Public Administration (COPA) with a sub-concentration in Military Social Work.  Both my foundation year placement and my current concentration year placement have included projects in which I work with both the specific population of interest and the community as a whole.  Through these projects, I have learned to observe the social problem and its direct and indirect effects economically, socially, and culturally through research methods and processes of evaluation.

At USC, MSW students have the opportunity to further their education through additional training and coursework that can be directly applied to the student’s field placement.  Students receive certification in both Motivational Interviewing and Problem Solving Therapy after completing the required training hours.  Along with these certifications, the Code of Ethics published by The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is incorporated into the foundation year coursework in preparation for students entering the field and remains constant throughout the concentration year.  The Code of Ethics is a set of values and standards to guide decision making and ethical dilemmas (NASW, 2013).  These principles include cultural competence, commitment to clients and interdisciplinary collaboration (NASW, 2013).

The MSW program offers a wide range of core programs of the MSW profession, which is an asset to the field placement agency or organization.  Such classes include: social work practice with families, groups, and complex cases; human behavior and social environment;  management for community and social services; evaluation of research; clinical practice with service members and their families; leadership in the social work profession and organizations; etc.  Students are also enrolled in classes that directly correspond to their internship.  For instance, professors regularly require students to incorporate course material and examples from their field placements into their assignments. 

While in placement, students have a faculty field liaison, a field instructor and a preceptor to provide a support network for the student.   Along with the structure and requirements placed on the graduate students, there are requirements for agency staff members too.  The faculty field liaison is a university professor and the field instructor is an individual in the agency with at least a Master in Social Work that can offer supervision.  Most academic institutions require the field supervisor to have a minimum of three (3) years post graduate studies and a state license as a MSW.

Although requirements vary slightly from state to state, most states require 1,000 to 1,500 hours of field work and supervision.  These clinical hours are required of MSW students in order to graduate and become a licensed social work professional.   

Learn more about MSW@USC

 

Learn more about Social Work

 

 

To support our social workers' program work, please consider a donation today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

National Association of Social Workers (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.naswdc.org/

Namaste, Asana, Savasana...Excuse Me?!

By Sarah Duerr, Yogi and member of Hope For The Warriors staff\

A few years ago I would have guessed these were names of sushi roles, not common language in the yoga world.  I first discovered yoga after dealing with an over use injury while training for my 3rd Marathon.  The words a runner never wants to hear come out of my doctor’s mouth April 2010, "you have to take some time off." What?! I have a half marathon next weekend, five other races planned before I run New York in November! I asked the dreaded question, "Well, what am I cleared to do?"  He replied, "Yoga or swim for the next month and we'll see." I left the office feeling like a failure, defeated.

The next morning I went to a yoga studio in my neighborhood, convinced it would never be a workout, not like running.  I was 15 minutes into class when I was proven wrong...very wrong.  I could barely walk the next day, and I LOVED IT! I continued to go 4 days a week and even when I was cleared to run again, I continued to practicing yoga twice a week in place of my shorter runs.  I ran my fastest and healthiest marathon ever that fall, and I owe it all to yoga!  Not only do I enjoy the physical part, but the mental connection to my body and the emotional relaxation an hour of yoga can provide.

October 1st kicked off a new fundraiser for Hope For The Warriors®, East vs. West Coast Yoga Challenge!  We are challenging our supporters to improve their health through yoga, while improving the lives of our wounded servicemen and women! That may mean increasing the number of times you practice each week, trying different styles of yoga, meditating 5 minutes a day, or even trying yoga for the first time. 

The pledge is $10 and all monies raised will go directly to Hope For The Warriors® to support wounded service members, their families and families of the fallen.

And the best part? Wounded service members and military families will join all of us in this challenge. Many of our own service members have learned to utilize yoga as part of their physical and psychological recovery. Your $10 will directly support their recovery.

Join us on Facebook at Hope For The Warriors® Yoga Challenge and register at www.hopeforthewarriors/2013yogachallenge

Namaste

 

Honoring Those That Serve

Hope For The Warriors^® was recently chosen by Newman’s Own Foundation to participate in their first ever Crowdrise Challenge:  Honoring Those Who Serve Challenge. Our goal is to raise $75,000 for service members and their families and we can only do it with your help. Whichever nonprofit receives the most donations will also receive an additional $75,000 from Newman’s Own Foundation.

An additional $75,000 from Newman’s Foundation could fund three additional Above & Beyond Seminars, directly supporting more than 75 post-9/11 combat service members and their families as they transition into new civilian careers. 

Newman’s Own Foundation is an independent, private foundation that was formed in 2005 by Paul Newman to sustain the legacy of his philanthropic work. The foundation has supported Hope For The Warriors^® for several years and this year, focused on supporting our Above & Beyond Program; through their grant, Hope For The Warriors^® was able to conduct Above & Beyond Seminars across the country, connecting service members with human resource management experts.

As an important supporter to Hope For The Warriors® and to our military families we ask that you share this through your own networks.  That could include social media, emails, and more. The Crowdrise challenge began on September 30 so please visit our page today: http://www.crowdrise.com/HopefortheWarriors-NOF. For every dollar donated, you will bring Hope For The Warriors® closer to earning that additional $75,000 from Newman’s Own.

 

 

September Sailing Clinic

 

Once again taking place in San Francisco last week, Hope For The Warriors® conducted their fourth wounded veteran sailing clinic over the past two years. Still in its infancy, this program has evolved from a simple idea into one of our most powerful programs. With the first clinic serving five veterans and focusing mainly on sailing, it has evolved to this most recent clinic which served nine veterans and consisted of sailing, yoga, pottery, music, nature hikes and more.

 

Arriving on Tuesday afternoon, the group traveled to Oakland for an introductory meet and greet dinner. Bright and early Wednesday morning, the vets all hopped on Tony Haworth’s 47-foot cruising sailboat Knot Tide Down and commuted to San Francisco over the water. Once at the docks in San Francisco, half of the group sailed small dinghies with BAADS (BayArea Association of Disabled Sailors), while the other half sailed the 47-footer across San Francisco Bay and back. The vets were ecstatic to sail alongside the two America’s Cup finalists, who were out practicing.

Back at the docks, the group traveled to The Pad yoga studios in San Francisco, where they participated in an intensely powerful meditative yoga session with locally renowned yogi Nicole Cronin. A survivor of a traumatic experience that resulted in a broken back, she connected with the vets on a very personal level and offered up wisdom that resonated with several of the still-healing vets.

 

After a profoundly therapeutic experience, the group drove over the Golden Gate Bridge and ate lunch at a scenic vista on the north side of the Bridge. After lunch, the group went on a nature hike at Muir Woods National Monument, enjoying the serenity and relaxation offered by the 1,200 year old coastal Redwoods of California.

 

On Thursday, many of the vets again opted to commute over the water, riding the San Francisco ferry to the clinic. While waiting for breeze, the vets learned about sailing in a 1-hour classroom session before sailing dinghies in McCovey Cove until lunch time. After lunch, the group again enjoyed a beautiful day of sailing on the Bay, commuting home from the clinic via 47-foot sailboat. By the end of the sail, the group was working well as a team and tacking and gybing the boat almost all the way home.

 

Thursday night, the vets enjoyed a catered dinner at Jered’s Pottery studio before receiving a pottery class from Navy veteran and local potter Jered Nelson. After the class, Berkeley’s own Horrible String Band played bluegrass music while the vets had access to several pottery wheels and could throw clay to the live music. With a couple hours of practice and instruction, the vets created pots, bowls, mugs and plates, despite a couple of the vets only having use of one hand. The guys loved it!
 

Friday morning’s first activity was a 45-minute outdoor yoga session, led by instructor Leila Burrows , also of The Pad studios. This session was much more physical and challenging than the day before, but intensely therapeutic. Once again sailing until lunch, the group broke to watch live America’s Cup racing in San Francisco.
 

After lunch, the clinic split up into two groups and took out matching Santa Cruz 27 sailboats, courtesy of Spinnaker Sailing. The group sailed up the city front, past New Zealand’s America’s Cup base and to the Bay Bridge before turning back. The group had to fight a strong current back to the harbor and then sailed laps around McCovey Cove. That evening, the vets again had a catered dinner and then enjoyed a sunset sail on an 84-foot charter vessel, again courtesy of Spinnaker Sailing.

After the clinic, the feedback and energy emanating from the group was overwhelmingly positive and profound. After a week full of new experiences in an area like San Francisco Bay, the vet’s eyes were all wide open. The stoke was high!

We are creating a different kind of buzz out here on the West Coast, and it’s because of the way that the Bay Area has embraced these veterans and this program. This clinic could not have taken place without the support of the Commandary of St. Francis Order of St. John, Knights Hospitaller and the Cromar Charitable Supporting Organization. Hope For The Warriors® would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to Drew Harper and Garrett Greengalgh of Spinnaker Sailing, all BAADS volunteers, Tony Haworth,  Nicole Cronin and Leila Burrows of The Pad yoga studio, Jered Nelson and Jered’s Pottery, members of the Horrible String Band and all of the family members and supporters who have helped make this program possible. Finally, thank you to the Fisher House and their Hero Miles program.  Through this organization, our veterans were able to fly to San Francisco.

This program is a collaborative effort between three veterans; Walt Kotecki, Don Gray and Ronnie Simpson. The program will continue moving forward in 2013 with a renewed focus and some exciting new goals!

Military Family Day with NWTF

Join Hope For The Warriors® and the National Wild Turkey Federation® for an event for the entire military family.  Outdoor skills stations will teach skills to family members of all ages.

Attendees will receive a free on year membership to NWTF!